Negative effects of Euphorbiaceae cultivation on soil nematode communities in tropical soils

Abstract

Soil nematodes regulate belowground ecological processes, yet their community composition and energy structure responses to Chinese herbal medicine planting are largely unknown. Here, four Euphorbiaceae plants—Phyllanthus emblica, Excoecaria acerifolia, Baccaurea ramiflora, and Aporosa yunnanensis—were selected and cultivated in the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden. After two years of cultivation, we assessed soil physicochemical properties, plant traits, microbial diversity, nematode diversity and community composition, and nematode energy flux. Our results revealed that the cultivation of these four medicinal plants significantly reduced soil nematode abundance and diversity and altered the community composition. Total nematode abundance was positively correlated with soil pH, aboveground biomass, and microbial richness, but negatively correlated with soil moisture, soil total phosphorus, and leaf thickness. Additionally, the energy flux within the soil nematode food web decreased by 40%−71% after the cultivation of medicinal plants, which was attributed to the reduction in nematode diversity and abundance. Our findings suggest that the cultivation of medicinal plants can influence soil resource availability and alter soil nematode communities, with diverse nematode species playing a key role in energy transfer within the belowground ecosystem.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

soil fauna / Chinese herbal medicine / functional traits / biodiversity / ecosystem function

Highlight

	● Euphorbiaceae cultivation had negative effects on soil nematode communities.
	● Euphorbiaceae cultivation reduced the energy flow of soil nematode micro-food webs.
	● The energy flux was positively correlated with nematode diversity and abundance.

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